Monthly Archives: June 2014

Toyota is creating a combustion engine that directly generates electricity

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Electric vehicles have come a long way in recent years, but even the premium-priced Tesla cars are short on range compared to good old internal combustion. Gasoline is probably going to remain part of our transportation makeup into the foreseeable … Continue reading →

Posted in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, Fossil Fuel, Global Warming, Low Carbon Emission, Pollution | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cheap fuel cell no larger than a stack of CDs can power a home

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Depending on where you live in the world, you may have electricity, gas, or both fed into your home. The bill for each depends on how much you use and fluctuates throughout the year. But what if you could replace … Continue reading →

Posted in Fuel Cells, Power Generation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sea Salt can replace solar panel component at 0.3% of the cost

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

One of the most dangerous and expensive parts of making photovoltaic cells (solar panels) involves a substance called cadmium chloride. This toxic substance is not just expensive when bought in bulk, but carries with it loads of associated costs in … Continue reading →

Posted in PV, Recycling, Renewables, Thin Film, Toxic Waste | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Improve discoms’ health to attract investments in power : World Bank

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Electricity distribution to the end consumer in India needs reform in order to achieve the target of electricity to all by 2019, says the World Bank. A World Bank study has termed distribution utilities as the weakest link of the … Continue reading →

Posted in DISCOM, Finance, News, Transmission and Distribution | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

India to invite bidding for largest solar power project; aims to achieve a capacity addition of 10,000 MW by 2017

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

India is about to launch the largest bidding of solar power projects worth 1,500 MW under its flagship Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). In what the government officials claim is the first success story of converging the three energy … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Global Warming, Greenhouse Gases, Grid Connected, India, MNRE, Phase II, Power Generation, PV, Renewables, SECI, Solar, Transmission and Distribution | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Finally government acknowledges efficiency is the solution and not price hikes for the power sector

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Click here for my article that details the losses of Rs. 75,000 Crores but inept Discoms.  This does not even include the power plant efficiencies. Next Steps for the Indian power industry Minister for power, coal and renewable energy Piyush … Continue reading →

Posted in Coal, DISCOM, Interviews, Power Generation, Renewables, Transmission and Distribution | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The German Coal Conundrum, busting the myth – The status of coal power in Germany’s energy transition

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Is Germany building new coal plants to replace nuclear despite the country’s green ambitions? Many observers conclude so. But an in-depth look reveals that the growth of renewables has more than replaced nuclear power over the past decade. Coal is … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Coal, Fossil Fuel, Germany, Global Warming, Greenhouse Gases, Nuclear, Pollution, Power Generation | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Solar power generation mandatory in houses, malls in Haryana – A step in the right direction

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

The Haryana government today said it has decided to implement an energy conservation action plan under which solar power generation will be made mandatory in different categories of buildings or areas with a suitable enforcement mechanism. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder … Continue reading →

Posted in Commercial, Greenhouse Gases, Grid Connected, Grid Interactive Distributed Solar Energy Systems, Haryana, Industrial, Pollution, Power Generation, Renewables, Residential, Rooftop, Solar, Solar Policy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Domestic solar cell makers say use of indigenous products can keep cost of solar power low

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Domestic manufacturers of solar cells have said that use of indigenous products can help keep cost of solar power low, countering the government’s claim that it will escalate after imposition of dumping duty. “The fact is that cost of power … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti Dumping Duty, Anti-Dumping, Batch I, Cells & Modules, Grid Connected, India, JNNSM, MNRE, Phase II, PV, Renewables, Solar | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Government not in favor of Anti-Dumping Duty on Solar – Internal Government Sources

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Based on my conversation with a few senior government sources it looks like application of anti dumping duty is not in favour at the senior ministry level. This

Posted in Anti-Dumping, JNNSM, MNRE, Renewables, Solar | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

India Dumping Duties Risk Choking Modi’s Solar Revolution

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg A SolPac D160 solar field, comprising of parabolic solar concentrating reflector dishes developed by Thermax Ltd., stands at the Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. manufacturing plant in Chakan, Maharashtra, India. The Indian government may strangle Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti Dumping Duty, Anti-Dumping, Cells & Modules, China, India, News, PV, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

India Minister Nitin Gadkari Asks Goverment to Scrap Solar Duties – The Ministry of Finance has until Aug. 22 to implement the duties

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

India’s transport minister has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to scrap a plan by the nation’s previous administration to impose duties on solar imports from China, the U.S., Malaysia and Taiwan, the Hindu Business Line reported. Minister of Road, Transport and … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti Dumping Duty, Cells & Modules, News, PV, Renewables, Solar Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Manufacturing capacity of Solar Cells and Modules in India as of 3rd June 2014 – MNRE

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Click here for the entire document Companies Cells (MW) Module (MW) Installed capacity Capacity under Operation as on date Installed capacity Capacity under Operation as on date Access Solar – – 18 Ajit Solar – – 20 Alpex – – … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, India, Manufacturing, PV, Renewables | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coal isn’t going away soon! China’s clean fuel focus tests U.S. coal exports lifeline

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

A child wearing a mask plays in the heavy smog in Qingdao in east China’s Shandong province on Jan. 24, 2013. Experts say that if China wants to avoid the kind of smog that choked the country earlier, it must … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Climate Change, Coal, Fossil Fuel, Global Warming, Greenhouse Gases, Pollution, Power Generation, USA | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Effect of Anti-Dumping Duty on Module Prices in India

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan
Posted in Anti-Dumping, Batch I, Cells & Modules, China, Crystalline, India, MNRE, NSEFI, Phase II, Power Generation, PV, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How fossil fuel interests are funding renewable battles

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

Ritesh- While this may be for the US, it’s also true across the globe and can be so for our country too except that we don’t have a transparent view into the going ons in government. Yesterday, Ohio became the … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Coal, Fossil Fuel, Global Warming, Greenhouse Gases, Pollution, USA | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WTO to examine US solar trade spat with India

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Ritesh Pothan

GENEVA: Washington today took its battle to get India to open its solar market a step further, demanding that the WTO create a panel to review the dispute. The United States told the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement board that … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Dumping, Crystalline, News, PV, Renewables, Thin Film, WTO | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment